The quake was recorded at 6:09pm and had a depth of 101 kilometres, PMD noted.

The department said the epicentre was located in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan. Despite originating outside Pakistan, the tremors were strong enough to be felt in several cities.

According to DawnNewsTV, shaking was reported in Shangla, Swat, Mardan, Swabi and Nowshera. In Shangla, the tremors were felt at the time of Iftar, causing residents to rush out of their homes in fear. Fortunately, no casualties or property damage were reported.

Pakistan lies on three major tectonic plates — the Arabian, Euro-Asian and Indian plates. Because of this geographical position, the country has five seismic zones. The presence of multiple fault lines makes earthquakes a frequent occurrence.

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Earlier this week, a 5.6-magnitude earthquake was recorded 86km northeast of Khuzdar in Balochistan. Last month, two separate 5.8-magnitude earthquakes jolted parts of the country, including Gilgit-Baltistan, Peshawar, Islamabad and surrounding areas of KP.

Experts say that tremors in the Hindu Kush region often affect northern Pakistan due to geological links. While Friday’s quake caused panic, the absence of damage brought relief to residents.

Pakistan remains vulnerable to earthquakes. Most tremors come from nearby fault lines. Preparedness and awareness are very important. Strong monitoring systems help reduce panic.